Curriculum

The curriculum for BASS 2024 is under development.

Take a look at our past highlights to get a sense of the topics we often include:

Past highlights

BASS 2023 (Oakland, CA)

we're back offline, but with new learnings from the pandemic years
skills track includes campaign strategy, facilitation, healing justice, graphic design and messaging strategy, and more
updated sessions on capitalism and climate justice, transnational organizing, multiracial organizing, social change ecosystems, and civil rights organizing around caste,
history track includes South Asian American movement history, and optional Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour
community mixer deep dives with six community mentors
participant-led sessions, delicious food, conversations, and community-building

BASS 2021 (online, due to COVID-19)

a refined online experience over Zoom, Slack, and spatial chat, with lots of music, breaks, and small group breakout time
core organizing skills sessions cover elements of campaign strategy and movement-building
a deep dive into social change ecosystem map, and opportunities to explore where we best fit in
three small intimate community mixers, where participants connected with movement mentors from across the country
South Asian radical histories, from early labor diasporas to the post-Trump period
a focus on transnational solidarities, exploring movement work everywhere from Oakland to across South Asia

BASS 2020 (online, due to COVID-19)

an online BASS experience, with short days, a flipped classroom, small group time, and long breaks to prevent Zoom exhaustion
South Asian radical history, with a deep focus on Black-Brown solidarities
intro to core organizing skills, including campaign strategy, power mapping
daily small group time with multigenerational community activists and mentors
deep dives on Hindu nationalism, caste abolition, neoliberalism, multiracial organizing, and more
optional participant-led sessions, which included breakouts on campus organizing, art, race and medicine, caste abolition, DJing, and more

BASS 2019 (Berkeley, CA) [need to add]

BASS 2018 (Berkeley, CA)

practical organizing 101 sessions on topics like organizing and campaign strategy, direct action, and facilitation
group projects focusing on current case studies, from hate crimes to international labor justice
media and messaging skills, rooted in story-based strategy
South Asian American activist histories, with a focus on Black and South Asian solidarities
opportunities to connect with BASS alums and community mentors with decades of activist experience
sessions on power and privilege, confronting imperialism, queer politics, and more
participant-led sessions on topics like Dalit activism
Bay Area activists share behind-the-scenes stories of organizing against Islamophobia

BASS 2017 (Oakland, CA)

practical organizing 101 sessions on topics like campaign strategy and direct action
group projects focusing on real case studies, ranging from racism to environmental justice
comms track, focusing on messaging, communications, and movement photography
sessions on power and privilege, intersectional feminism, reproductive justice, and labor
freeform participant-led sessions
South Asian American history timeline and sharing stories of our movements
Bay Area activists share stories of local multiracial organizing to combat Islamophobia
opportunities to connect with BASS alums and a community of mentors and elders

BASS 2016 (Oakland, CA)

practical organizing 101 sessions on campaign strategy, messaging, posters, and direct action
five different group projects on a Black and Brown solidarity theme to apply learnings to real-world case studies
sessions on power and privilege, gender, intersectionality, and transnational feminism
participant-led sessions on a variety of themes
South Asian American history timeline, and sharing stories from our movements
session on Islamophobia, xenophobia and the refugee crisis
workshop on confronting anti-Blackness in South Asian communities
community mixer bringing participants together with BASS alumni and South Asian activists

BASS 2015 (Oakland, CA)

Black Lives Matter focus, including sessions on Black and Brown solidarity
practical organizing 101 sessions on campaign strategy, messaging, and direct action
four different group projects to apply learnings to real-world case studies
sessions on power and privilege, anti-oppression, and women of color feminism
South Asian American history timeline, and telling stories of our movements
workshops addressing neoliberalism, capitalism, anti-Blackness
community mixer bringing together 3 generations of South Asian activists, plus a conversation with alumni
talent show, featuring music, poetry, dance, and more

BASS 2014 (Oakland, CA)

organizing 101 sessions on campaign strategy, direct action, and messaging and communications
group projects to apply learnings to real-world case studies

South Asian American history timeline, and telling stories of our movements
workshops on understanding race, caste, islamophobia, hindutva, and more
workshops exploring economics and the ecological crisis for a South Asian American angle
community mixer bringing together 3 generations of South Asian activists
talent show, featuring dance, music, storytelling, and more

BASS 2013 (Berkeley, CA)

tabla, street art, hip-hop, and writing sessions
panel on black/brown solidarities, featuring activist elders Ayesha Gill and ericka huggins
in-depth workshop on organizing leadership strategies
food justice workshop, featuring a "supergroup" of four researchers/activists
workshops on gender, sexuality, and gender violence
interactive timeline and walking tour field trip of 100+ years of South Asian American history
climate justice workshop, exploring climate change from a South Asian angle
workshop on addressing Islamophobia and racial violence

BASS 2012 (Berkeley, CA)

BASS 2011 (Oakland, CA)

keynote speeches by author/professor Sunaina Maira and immigrant rights activist & law student Prerna Lal
spoken word workshop led by hip-hop artist Chee Malabar
workshop on gender led by UC Berkeley's group Khush
workshop on Islamophobia, profiling, and racism
environmental justice themed hike through the Oakland hills
youth activist panel featuring young community leaders
workshop on South Asian narratives and legacy